Illuminated number-plate.



H. WALKER.

ILLUMINATEDNUMBER PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED 056.14.1915- Patented Jan.23,1917.

wwll r ar m n N m c m w w 0 m U m m m c c 5 R c 1 z p m n R a N HARRY WALKER, OF ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA.

ILLUMINATED NUMBER-PLATE.

Application filed December 14, 1915.

To all whom it may concern: 7

lie it known that l, HARRY WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anaheim, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Number- Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an illuminated number plate, rind pertains especially to a number plate structure for automobiles in -which the number plates supplied by municipalities or a special illuminated number plate can be used.

it is an object of this invention to provide a structure which may be secured to an automobile and to which may be detachably secured the number plates supplied by States or cities, a light being so disposed that the number plate will be illuminated.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device to which may be secured either the number plates supplied by the municipalities or a support provided with means for attaching translucent numbers so that a compartment will be formed within which is disposed a light, the lights passing through the translucent numbers.

it is a further object to provide a structure as above described with translucent number plates which may be changed.

It is a still further object of this inven tion to provide an illuminated number plate which also serves as a tail light.

I accomplish these results by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved illuminated number plate mechanism with translucent numbers secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section as seen on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates a housing to which is detachably secured a number plate supporting section 5; the number plates are indicated by 6. A bulls eye for a tail light is indicated at 7, and a lamp, preferably an electric lamp is disposed to shine through the bulls eye 7, the lamp being indicated at 8.

The housing 4 may be of any convenient shape, and comprises five walls, the upper wall 9, side walls 10 and 11, front wall 12 and rear wall 13. The upper wall 9 is shown of an artistic curvature, such that it fipeeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 191?.

Serial No. cases.

will not detract but will add to the appearance of the automobile to which it is at tached. The front wall 12 has an opening in which is secured the bulls eye 7 formed of :1 translucent material such as glass. An inturned lip A is formed at the lower edge of the front wall 12 and provides a channel for attachment of number plate 6. The rear wall 13 is shown as depending farther than the front wall, and is provided with means for securing a bolt and nut thereto, as is indicated at 15. The side walls 10 and 11 are provided with tongues, one being indicated at 16. than. the side walls 10 and are offset separately from the plane of the wall so that they will extend over the side walls 17 and 18 of the number plate supporting device.

The number plate supporting device or casing comprises a rear wall 19 and a bottom wall 20. Secured to the bottom wall 20 is a section of a front wall 21. Section 21 has an 'inturned lip 22 providing a channel for attachment of the number plate 6. The belt 15 provides means for detachably securing the supporting member 5 to the housing 4:, and the block 23 through which the bolt 15 passes may be arranged to provide means for attaching the number plate device to the automobile. Each of the number plates 6 consists preferably of a translucent material set in a frame, the ends of which are formed with lips to engage the channels formed by lips 1d and 22.

The dotted lines in Fig. 3 illustrate the means of assembling or disassembling the structure in order to change the number plates. The lower lips of the number plates are hooked to the lip 22. The upper lips are then positioned to be hooked to the lip 14 of the housing 1 and then the housing is disposed in a position shown in full lines and attached to the support 5, by means of the bolt 15. The tongues 16 overlap walls 17 and 18 while walls 10 and 11 are disposed within walls 17 and 18. Wall 18 overlaps wall 13 and forms an extensive contact surface. if it is desired to use the number plates supplied by the State or city the sup port 5 is removed and the number plate secured directly to the rear wall 13 of the housing 4. Light will be cast downwardly upon the plate from the lamp 6 and illuminate it. The lamp 8 being disposed behind The tongues extend lower the bulls eye 7 also afiords a tail light. The

openings 24 and 25 in the housing are covered with translucent plates having emblems such as the name of the State or em-' blem representing the State and the year. Thus, one opening 24 may be covered bya plate having the emblem of a bear or the Word California, as required by law. The other opening 25 may be covered by a plate having the numerals 1915 to indicate the license number of the series of 1915.

It is obvious that I have provided a number plate device which displays at night each of the necessary emblems. The device also acts as a tail light, one light being used for the double purpose of illuminating the number plate and then acting as a tail light.

What I claim is:

1 An automobile number plate device, comprising a housing open at its lower side, the front wall of said housing having an inturned lip at its lower edge, the rear wall thereof provided with means for detachably securing anumber plate support, a number plate support detachably secured to the rear Wall of' said housing and including rear, front, side and bottom walls, a section of the front wall having an inturned lip forming a channel and translucent number plates formed with lips arranged to be engaged with the lips on said housing and support.

2. An automobile number plate device, comprising a housing open at its lower side, the front wall of said housing having an inturned lip at its lower edge, the rear wall thereof provided with means for detachably securing a number plate support, a number plate support detachably secured to the rear wall of said housing and including rear, front, side and bottom walls, a section of the front wall having an inturnod lip forming a channel and translucent number 1 plates formed with lips arranged to be engaged with the lips on said housing and support, said housing provided with a tail light bulls eye and a light disposed within said housing.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of November, 1915.

HARRY WALKER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

